Retractable single luggage handle with arrangement for holding an auxiliary piece of luggage on top of a main piece of luggage by turning into a cross support

ABSTRACT

A retractable single luggage handle is disclosed. In one embodiment, the handle includes a hollow handle rod including a recess on the peripheral surface proximate the top of the main piece of luggage in an extended state of the handle rod, and a plate member fitted onto the recess and including a recessed flat aligned with the recess; and a cross member fitted onto the flat by releasably securing to the plate member, the cross member-adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to the handle rod to form a cross support which is adapted to stably hold an auxiliary piece of luggage rested on the top of the main piece of luggage while towing the inclined main piece of luggage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to retractable single luggage handle systems andmore particularly to a retractable single handle of a main piece ofluggage, the handle having an arrangement which is adapted to rotateabout 90 degrees relative to the handle to form a cross support forstably holding an auxiliary piece of luggage on the top of the mainpiece of luggage while towing the inclined main piece of luggage.

2. Description of Related Art

A main piece of conventional luggage 90 is shown in an inclined towedstate in FIG. 1. The main luggage 90 comprises a wheeled main body 91and a retractable single handle rod 92 having a T-shaped handle grip 93at its top end. In use a user may place an auxiliary piece of luggage(e.g., a flat, rectangular case) 94 on the top of the main body 91 bylying upon the extended handle rod 92 while towing the main luggage 90by grasping the handle grip 93.

However, the well known retractable single handle suffers from adisadvantage. In detail, the case 94 may fall onto the ground ifsufficient care is not taken when towing. This is because there is noadditional support mechanism provided by the handle system other thanthe straight single handle rod 92. Thus, a need for improvement exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a retractablesingle handle of a main piece of luggage, the handle having anarrangement which is adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to thehandle to form a cross support for stably holding an auxiliary piece ofluggage on the top of the main piece of luggage while towing theinclined main piece of luggage.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description taken withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main piece of conventional luggagebeing towed with an auxiliary piece of luggage placed on the top of themain luggage by lying upon the extended single handle of the mainluggage;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment ofretractable single handle of a main piece of luggage according to theinvention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the handle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main portion of thehandle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the main portion of the handle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A a sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5B a sectional view taken along line 5B-5B of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 where the cross member has beenturned about 90 degrees relative to the single handle of the mainluggage to form a cross support;

FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. 6 showing two possible phases of turningthe cross member relative to the single handle of the main luggage;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of themain luggage of the invention being towed with an auxiliary piece ofluggage placed on the top of the main luggage by lying upon the extendedsingle handle of the main luggage with the cross member being turnedabout 90 degrees relative to the single handle to form a cross supportto stably hold the auxiliary luggage;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodimentof retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage according to theinvention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the assembled single handle of FIG. 9where the cross member has been turned about 90 degrees relative to thesingle handle to form a cross support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8, a retractable single luggage handle system inaccordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.The handle system is adapted to receive in a bezel 11 on a rear topcenter of a main piece of luggage 10 by retracting in a storage ornonoperating position. The handle system comprises a retractable handlerod 20 and a T-shaped handle grip 23 on a top end of the handle rod 20.The handle rod 20 of oval section has an internal space 21 and twoparallel rails 22 each longitudinally extending from a top end of thehandle rod 20 to a bottom stop (not shown) of the handle rod 20 ateither side. One rail 22 is disposed opposing the other rail 22.

A support mechanism 30 is provided and is of substantially half-ovalsection. The support mechanism 30 comprises a plate member 31 includingan intermediate flat 311 on a front surface, a front, central, circularprotrusion 312 on the flat 311 and having four holes 314 equally spacedapart around its front face, and an aperture 313 through a center of theprotrusion 312 and a corresponding rear recessed portion of the platemember 31 (i.e., the aperture 313 having both ends open to front andrear surfaces of the plate member 31).

The support mechanism 30 further comprises a cross member 32 ofsubstantially half-oval section. The cross member 32 is dimensioned andshaped to fit snugly in the flat 311. The cross member 32 comprises acircular recess 322 on a planar rear surface, an aperture 323 extendingfrom a front surface to a center of the recess 322 to form a shoulderstructure at a joining portion of the aperture 323 and the recess 322,and four tabs 324 equally spaced apart around the shoulder. Theprotrusion 312 is dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly in the recess322. Also, A bolt and nut combination 33 is adapted to drive through theapertures 323, 313 to secure the cross member 32 and the plate member 31together. Preferably, the cross member 32 is made of a flexible material(e.g., plastic).

The assembled support mechanism 30 is inserted into the hollow handlerod 20 by sliding downward along the rails 22 until being stopped. In anassembly state of the handle rod 20 the top of the cross member 32(i.e., a transverse shoulder joining the plate member 31 and the top ofthe flat 311) is flush with a transverse shoulder joining an upperportion of the handle rod 20 and the top of the space 21, and the bottomof the cross member 32 (i.e., a transverse shoulder joining the platemember 31 and the bottom of the flat 311) is flush with a transverseshoulder joining a lower portion of the handle rod 20 and the bottom ofthe space 21.

A turning operation of the cross member 32 will be described in detailbelow. First, a person may exert a force to pull the cross member 32 toslightly disengage from the plate member 31 with the tabs 324 clearedthe holes 314. Then the person may counterclockwise turn the crossmember 32 about 90 degrees relative to the plate member 31 (see FIG. 7).The tabs 324 are aligned with the new holes 314 again. Next, release theplate member 31 to cause the tabs 324 to move into the new holes 314. Atthis position, a cross support is formed.

As shown in FIG. 8, in use a user may place an auxiliary piece ofluggage (e.g., a flat, rectangular case) 40 on the top of the mainluggage 10 by lying upon the above support of the extended handle rod 20while towing the main luggage 10 by grasping the handle grip 23. It isenvisaged by the invention that the case 40 is stable during the towingbecause a large portion of the rear of the case 40 is held by therecumbent support consisting of the horizontally disposed cross member32 and the extended handle rod 20.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a retractable single luggage handle systemin accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention isshown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment of thehandle system are detailed below. The plate member 31 and the handle rod20 of the first preferred embodiment are formed integrally as a unitarymember.

The handle rod 20 comprises an intermediate flat 24 on a front surface,a front, central, circular protrusion 242 on the flat 24 and having fourholes 244 equally spaced apart around its front face, and an aperture243 through a center of the protrusion 242 and the handle rod 20 (i.e.,the aperture 243 having both ends open to front and rear surfaces of thehandle rod 20).

The handle system further comprises a cross member 34 of substantiallyhalf-oval section. The cross member 34 is dimensioned and shaped to fitsnugly in the flat 24. The cross member 34 comprises a circular recess342 on a planar rear surface, an aperture 343 extending from a frontsurface to a center of the recess 342 to form a shoulder structure at ajoining portion of the aperture 343 and the recess 342, and four tabs344 equally spaced apart around the shoulder. Preferably, the crossmember 34 is made of a flexible material (e.g., plastic).

The cross member 34 is snugly placed onto the flat 24 with theprotrusion 242 being dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly in the recess342. Next, drive a bolt and nut combination 35 through the apertures343, 243 to secure the cross member 34 and the handle rod 20 together.In an assembly state of the handle rod 20 the top of the cross member 34is flush with a transverse shoulder joining an upper portion of thehandle rod 20 and the top of the flat 24, and the bottom of the crossmember 34 is flush with a transverse shoulder joining a lower portion ofthe handle rod 20 and the bottom of the flat 24.

A turning operation of the cross member 34 relative to the handle rod 20is the same as that described in the first preferred embodiment. Thus, adetailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Note that, for example in the first preferred embodiment, the locationof the tabs 324 and that of the holes 314 can be exchanged. That is, thetabs 324 may be formed on the protrusion 312 and the holes 314 may beformed in the recess 322.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means ofspecific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could bemade thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

1. A retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage, theretractable single handle comprising: a hollow handle rod including arecess on the peripheral surface proximate the top of the main piece ofluggage in an extended state of the handle rod, and a plate memberfitted onto the recess and including a recessed flat aligned with therecess; and a cross member fitted onto the flat by releasably securingto the plate member, the cross member adapted to rotate about 90 degreesrelative to the handle rod to form a cross support.
 2. The retractablesingle handle of claim 1, wherein the handle rod further comprises twoparallel internal rails at both sides such that the plate member isadapted to insert into the handle rod by sliding downward along therails.
 3. The retractable single handle of claim 1, wherein the platemember further comprises a central, circular protrusion on the flat, theprotrusion including a plurality of first elements equally spaced apartaround a surface thereof, and an aperture through a center of thereofand the plate member; and wherein the cross member comprises a stagedchannel open to a front and a rear surfaces thereof, the channelincluding a plurality of second elements equally spaced apart around ashoulder of the channel, the second elements adapted to either matinglyengage with the first elements or temporarily disengage from the firstelements by pulling the cross member.
 4. The retractable single handleof claim 3, wherein the retractable single handle further comprises abolt and nut combination adapted to drive through the aperture and thechannel to secure the cross member and the plate member together.
 5. Theretractable single handle of claim 3, wherein the first elements aretabs and the second elements are holes.
 6. The retractable single handleof claim 3, wherein the first elements are holes and the second elementsare tabs.
 7. A retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage, theretractable single handle comprising: a handle rod including a recessedflat on a peripheral surface thereof, the flat being disposed proximatea top of the main piece of luggage in an extended state of the handlerod; and a cross member fitted onto the flat by releasably securing tothe handle rod, the cross member adapted to rotate about 90 degreesrelative to the handle rod together with the handle rod to form a crosssupport.
 8. The retractable single handle of claim 7, wherein the handlerod further comprises a central, circular protrusion on the flat, theprotrusion including a plurality of first elements equally spaced apartaround a surface thereof, and an aperture through a center thereof andthe handle rod; and wherein the cross member comprises a staged channelopen to a front and a rear surfaces thereof, the channel including aplurality of second elements equally spaced apart around a shoulder ofthe channel, the second elements adapted to either matingly engage withthe first elements or temporarily disengage from the first elements bypulling the cross member.
 9. The retractable single handle of claim 7,wherein the retractable single handle further comprises a bolt and nutcombination adapted to drive through the aperture and the channel tosecure the cross member and the handle rod together.
 10. The retractablesingle handle of claim 7, wherein the first elements are tabs and thesecond elements are holes.
 11. The retractable single handle of claim 7,wherein the first elements are holes and the second elements are tabs.